Casco Bay (Me.) -- Fiction; Love stories; Young women -- Fiction
The speculator on a large scale feels no more elated over the rescue of
a fortune from anticipated loss than did Miss Lacey in the recovery of
her one thousand dollars. In the expansion of ideas which it caused she
determined to celebrate by taking a chair in the parlor car for Boston
on Wednesday morning.
John Dunham boarded the train just as it was pulling out of the
station, and as he approached his seat suddenly heard himself
greeted:--
"It _is_ Sir Walter," said a pleased voice. "I wasn't sure till you
took your hat off."
The young man paused in the act of hanging up his hat and looked down
upon the occupant of the next chair. She was regarding him with
interest.
"Why, good-morning, Miss Lacey," he responded, and perhaps his smile
would not have been so pronounced but for the quick consideration of
Judge Trent's situation had he not transferred his ticket this morning.
Dunham even wondered if Miss Lacey might not have learned in some way
who it was that had engaged this chair and made her arrangements
accordingly. However, the surprise with which she recognized him was
certainly genuine.
"Aren't these seats comfortable?" she went on as he sank into his. "I
never traveled in one before. I'm just being reckless this morning."
Her triumphant, half-defiant regard did not indicate that she was
laboring under any disappointment.
Upon Dunham's acquiescence she continued: "Perhaps, being in the
office, you know about my windfall?"
"I hadn't heard, but I'm glad there was a windfall."
Miss Martha scrutinized the speaker's countenance approvingly. "He's
about as pleasant-looking a man as I ever laid eyes on," she thought.
"It isn't exactly a windfall, because it's only my own come back to me;
but it's money I never expected to see again, and if Cal--if Judge
Trent wasn't a good deal smarter than the average I never should have,
either."
"Not many people can get ahead of him," returned Dunham.
"I guess not," said Miss Lacey, and she bridled proudly in a manner not
lost upon her neighbor. "So I just said to myself this morning, 'What's
the use of always being so careful?' Said I, 'I believe I'll see for
once how it feels to go to Boston like a nabob.'"
Dunham smiled and nodded, perceiving that Miss Martha felt that her
extravagance must be explained even if it could not be justified.
The extra alertness of her look suffered a slight cloud as she
continued: "One thing that made me feel reckless was that affairs are
taking a turn that may make me be more careful and more economical than
I ever was before, and I just thought before I found out I'd have one
good time!"
As she finished, the defiant expression returned, and she cast a glance
at her companion which seemed to challenge his disapproval. "I notice
you don't--I notice lots of folks don't mind the extravagance."
"Ah, but Judge Trent pays my expenses, you see."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account